Resins derived from the alternating copolymerization of olefins and CO can be used in combination with amine curing agents to form coatings or to glue wood products. On occasions, the viscosity of the resin needs to be reduced so that it can be applied. Reduction of viscosity has been carried out by either dissolving the resin in an organic solvent or dispersing it in water. The use of organic solvents poses an environmental problem. While the dispersion approach eliminates problems with volatile organic carbon ("VOC"), other problems arise, such as the cost of surfactant required to stabilize the dispersion, the stability of the dispersed system, the reproduciblity of the process of making a waterborne resin, and the effect of surfactant on properties of the cured products.
The class of polymers of carbon monoxide and olefin(s) has been known for some time. Brubaker, U.S. Pat. No. 2,495,286, produced such polymers of relatively low carbon monoxide content in the presence of free radical initiators, e.g., peroxy compounds. U.K. No. 1,081,304 produced similar polymers of higher carbon monoxide content in the presence of alkylphosphine complexes of palladium as catalyst. Nozaki extended the reaction to produce linear alternating polymers in the presence of arylphosphine complexes of palladium moieties and certain inert solvents. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,914,391; 3,835,123; and 3,694,412.
More recently, the class of linear alternating polymers of carbon monoxide and at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon has become of greater interest in part because of the greater availability of the polymers. The more recent processes for the production of these polymers, now becoming known as polyketones, or polyketone polymers, are illustrated by a number of published European Patent Applications including 121,965; 181,014; 213,671; and 257,663. The process, now considered to be broadly conventional, generally involves the use of a catalyst composition formed from a compound of a Group VIII metal selected from palladium, cobalt or nickel, the anion of a non-hydrohalogenic acid having a pKa below about 6 and preferably below 2, and a bidentate ligand of phosphorus, nitrogen, arsenic or antimony. The resulting polyketone polymers are relatively high molecular weight thermoplastics having established utility in the production of shaped articles by the methods which are conventional for thermoplastic polymers.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a polymers composition which is water soluble and is curable. It is a further object to provide such a polymer which is effective, when combined with a curing agent, as a glue for wood.